No voting at Stafford School this year

Everybody who's been voting at Stafford School is going to have to head to a new polling place come Nov. 5. Instead of going to Stafford to vote in precinct 77-3 (or 77C, for the old-fashioned among you), people will have to head to Bristol Eastern High School instead. The state ruled that Stafford isn't accessible enough for handicapped voters. It needs a ramp, officials said, and installing one is impossible because regulations require doing all code upgrades if any are made. That's not going to happen anytime soon because of the expense. It still isn't clear, by the way, whether the American Legion hall on Hooker Court will be available this year. The registrars have requested a waiver to keep it in use despite some accessibility concerns but have not heard back yet.
Copyright 2013 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wear your buttons if you want

In a press release just issued, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz "is also reminding voters that although no one can be prevented from voting if they wear a campaign button or shirt to the polls, Connecticut General Statutes Section 9-236 prohibits solicitation on behalf of any candidate or question within 75 feet of any polling place. This would prevent an individual from wearing a campaign button, t-shirt or hat into the polling place. However, once the individual removes the button or article of clothing from plain sight, the individual would be allowed to enter the polls and to vote. Once the individual leaves the polling place and the 75 foot restricted area, they could again wear the button or article of clothing.
“We want to make sure that voters are properly informed of their rights,” said Bysiewicz. “In interpreting the law, we also want to ensure that polling places remain neutral zones where voters can go and vote their conscience free of real or perceived intimidation. We understand that many voters feel passionate about the candidates they support and will want to express their opinions through their attire. This expression is protected by the Constitution; however it must be limited to areas outside the 75’ boundary for the polling place.”
I love that disconnect.
Your right to wear a button, shirt or hat touting a candidate is "protected by the Constitution," except that it's not.
You can't wear them in when you go to vote, she says in the next line.
But the First Amendment clearly trumps that ridiculous state law. People have a right to express their political opinions, the very essence of the First Amendment, everywhere they go, including the polls.
I have no problem with the rules setting a distance for those who are there only to advertise their candidates and causes -- the political parties, mostly -- but telling voters they can't wear a button or a hat or a shirt is unconstitutional. It's also stupid.
There's a law that ought to be revised to make it both constitutional and reasonable. The way it's written is way over the line.
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Near record number of voters face many choices Tuesday

 With nearly as many voters its rolls as ever before, Bristol may see busier polling places than it has in decades.

But election officials, who have been figuring out how to deal with the crush for months, anticipate few problems at the polls Tuesday.

“We spent a lot of time planning for this,” said Bob Badal, the Democratic registrar.

There are 34,708 registered voters this year in Bristol, more than 84 percent of them Democrats or independents. Republicans trail badly.

Still, city GOP chairman T.J. Barnes said that his party has the potential to do well in Bristol this year, with its emphasis on keeping state Rep. Bill Hamzy in office and getting newcomer Jill Fitzgerald to join him.

Voters will get the last word on a number of political contests, from the presidential slugfest between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain on down to uncontested local races.

They’ll also decide whether to change Bristol’s charter to create a chief operating officer as well as four non-controversial charter change questions. There’s also a hotly debated state issue on the ballot about whether to require a constitutional convention.

The 1^st District congressional race features U.S. Rep. John Larson, an East Hartford Democrat, and two long-shots, Republican Joe Visconti of West Hartford and Green Party champion Stephen Fournier of Hartford.

The most watched race among Bristol’s political insiders is in 77^th District.

Fitzgerald is locked in what appears to be a tight race there against Democrat Chris Wright  in northeastern Bristol. The two are vying to succeed state Rep. Ron Burns, a Republican who opted not to seek re-election after a single term in Hartford.

Hamzy is scrambling to fend off Democrat Jacqui Denski in the 78^th District, which includes Chippens Hill.

In the 79^th District, state Rep. Frank Nicastro is facing a token challenger, Republican David L. Norton, who stepped in at the last minute to replace Derek Jerome, who apparently committed suicide last month to escape financial woes.

In the 22^nd District, which includes fewer than 1,000 voters in the Forestville section of town, state Rep. Betty Boukus, a Plainville Democrat, is facing a challenge from Republican Scott Saunders.

State Sen. Tom Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat who has represented the 31^st District since 1992, doesn’t have an opponent for the first time in his career. The district includes Plainville, Plymouth and part of Harwinton as well as Bristol.

To deal with the many voters expected to show up at the polls, Badal said there are going to be two check-in lines for voters at the precincts.

Moderators at each precinct have also worked up floor plans to speed people through as quickly as possible, Badal and Republican Registrar Ellie Klapatch said.

Klapatch said that it will help if voters are prepared to show identification at the check-in tables.

She also said that the machines and ballots are ready to go.

“Everything’s running smooth,” said Klapatch, who’s been supervising elections in Bristol since 1971.

The precincts with the most voters this year are 79A, 78A, 79B, 79C and 77A, the registrars said. All of them have more than 4,000 registered voters, Badal and Klapatch said, so voters there should give themselves some extra time.

The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Polling Places for the Election will be as follows:

Council District One
77A– Edgewood School – 345 Mix Street
77B – Northeast School - 530 Stevens Street
77C – Mountain View School – 71 Vera Road

Council District Two
78A – Chippens Hill Middle School – 551 Peacedale St.
78B – Clara T. O’Connell School – 120 Park Street
79A – South Side School – Tuttle Road

Council District Three
79B – American Legion – 22 Hooker Court
79C – Greene Hills School – 718 Pine Street
77D & 22 - Stafford School – 212 Louisiana Avenue

Note: An earlier version of this entry provided a bigger number for the registered voters tally because of an error at the registrars' office. It is now correct.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Where to vote in Bristol

Remember that only registered Democrats can vote in Tuesday's primary, between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Until noon today, it's possible to register or switch your affiliation in person at the Registrar's office on the first floor of City Hall.

Polling Places:

Council District One
77A – Edgewood School – 345 Mix Street
77B – Northeast School - 530 Stevens Street
77C – Mountain View School – 71 Vera Road

Council District Two
78A – Chippens Hill Middle School – 551 Peacedale St.
78B – Clara T. O’Connell School – 120 Park Street
79A – South Side School – Tuttle Road

Council District Three
79B – American Legion – 22 Hooker Court
79C – Greene Hills School – 718 Pine Street
77D & 22 - Stafford School – 212 Louisiana Avenue

Don't forget to bring a photo ID with you!

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com